Battlefield Earth

Screw it, I had fun, if not the most fun I've had this month.

Battlefield Earth is highly renowned for it's badness, swept the Razzies, was one of the most bashed films of this millenium, and probably is the reason you never really see John Travolta in movies anymore. The story is complicated, set in a post-apocalyptic world where a race of aliens has conquered Earth and humankind is near extinction, and I really didn't want either side to win the ruling of Earth. The humans are barely one step above cavemen and speak like brain damaged 4th graders, the aliens are hilarious in design and somehow speak more like humans than the actual humans and I'm just gonna say it, this is my favorite John Travolta role ever. Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Pulp Fiction, pssh it ain't got nothing on Terl. "While you were still learning how to SPELL YOUR NAME I was being trained TO CONQUER GALAXIES!!" Ohhh my sweet baby Jesus, he is so much fun, I laugh my ass off just about everytime he is on screen. If there was ever a reason to watch this movie it is because of his performance! I will give the movie a few points, the designs of the aliens though gut busting hilarious is unique and even their ship designs don't rip anything off but it just goes to show how originality isn't always the best thing. Second, I did not see a single actor who looked embarassed or really did not want to be there filming, they pull this shit dead straight and it is amazing. The sad part is Travolta still defends this movie and would gladly do it again, but Forest Whitaker was in the movie, though you probably couldn't tell because of the makeup, completely regrets it! I mean who could turn down a role where you're 9 foot aliens with dreadlocks and finger talons with weird breathing tendril masks calling other actors man-animals? It's Oscar worthy material! And you can't talk about the movie if you don't talk about the shots. Every single shot in the movie, every one, is a dutch angle and a dutch angle is where the camera is tilted at a 45° angle so everything looks slanted, and I caught myself multiple times tilting my head like I'm Michael Myers just trying to see things on a even level. Why is every frame at an angle? Well believe it or not, there is an answer and you're gonna love this! The cinematographer said he wanted the movie to resemble a comic book so that's why every shot is at an angle. Well of course! It all makes sense now! Oh my God, this movie is bad but it is a highly enjoyable bad. The movie has a reputation for a reason, it is so bad that you laugh and you laugh hard. It's perfect for a really shlock movie night with friends, you can get endless entertainment if you riff on this movie and have a few drinks. So if that sounds like your cup of tea, go for it.

Man this month has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. From Manos and movies that are really funny, to suffering through each subsequent Twilight movie, to the point where before we look at the last few pieces de resistance, I'm gonna give myself a break and watch a bad movie I genuinely like. I haven't picked which one yet but they both star the original Captain America all the way from back in the 70s. Yes, tomorrow we get to talk about Reb Brown.